State Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term State.

State (noun):

In a legal context, "State" could refer to several things:

  1. A governed area making up one of the regions in a nation operating under a federal system of government. Each individual state typically has its own constitution and government separate from the federal government.

  2. The governing body of such an area, responsible for creating, enforcing, and interpreting laws within its territory.

  3. Any governmental agency or department operating under the authority of the state government.

The specific meaning is typically determined by the context in which the term is used.